The Prisma satellite, tested in an ACS Thermal Vacuum Chamber, for the earthquake emergency in Turkey
The Italian Space Agency's Prisma satellite, tested in an ACS Thermal Vacuum Chamber, is helping rescue workers during the earthquake emergency in Turkey and Syria.
Thanks to its advanced electro-optical hyperspectral instrumentation, the Prisma satellite - tested in an ACS space simulator called "GALILEO Large Thermal Vacuum Chamber" - acquires images of the Earth's surface and returns information on the chemical and physical composition of the objects in the observed scene: the special camera captures images in various wavelengths, from visible to infrared.
The sophisticated equipment is also able to withstand the extreme conditions of space, as detailed in our case history.
Prisma's satellite imagery provides invaluable help in managing the emergency of the violent earthquake that struck the area of Turkey on the border with Syria on 6 February, a magnitude 7.8 quake that killed more than 41,000 people.
Through the acquisitions of Prisma and other Earth observation satellites, it is possible to quickly assess the extent and severity of the damage, facilitating the task of rescue workers.
The Prisma image released by Asi shows the acquisition over the city of Adana on the morning of 8 February, two days after the catastrophic event. On the left, is an image related to an RGB processing colour; on the right, is a panchromatic image in which the Sabancı central Mosque is visible. More acquisitions, close to the epicentre area, are expected in the coming days.
Download the full image from the Asi website